Group of Georiga Tech students spend Spring Break renovating Open Arms Clinic

A group of Georgia Tech students are spending their Spring Break in Toccoa-Stephens County.

As part of a micro missionary trip and project, the group has been driving nails, painting and reconstructing walls at the Open Arms Clinic in downtown Toccoa.

According to Open Arms Clinic’s Executive Director Sherry Beavers the students’ generosity has been a blessing.

“Today we have with us the Habitat for Humanity and Steve Paysen with the Hope Center and a group of students from Georgia Tech who have volunteered their time to come up and begin the renovation project for us,” Beavers said. “Our budget for this renovation project is $80 thousand, we had not intended to begin the renovation until we had raised all the money, we’re currently at $38 thousand. When this opportunity presented itself, you know we’re faith-based, it just seemed like a God thing and we needed to move forward with it.”

Beavers says the clinic has needed more space for a long time; however, they operate on such a small budget that the renovation kept being pushed back.

Currently, Open Arms Clinic has just one exam room. Beavers says that’s just one reason why the renovation is needed.

Harrison Barlow is one of the students who decided to spend his break helping out the underserved.

He says he’s part of Georgia Tech’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) group.

“We’re from the BCM Georgia Tech and every year we get to do a mission opportunity and just help out a community,” Barlow said. “This year we got to go to Toccoa Falls. We did get to help out at the Georgia Baptist Mission Center; but, our group has the privilege to help out the Open Arms Clinic. On Saturday, we got to tear down the back shed, and we still have stuff to do up front. It’s been a real privileged opportunity to help this community.”

Joseph Dawson, another BCM student, says he was eager to take part in this opportunity.

“During our Spring Break we decided to come up to Toccoa Falls for a short mission trip and serve in different projects in the area,” Dawson said. “We’re staying at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center. We’re working on a bath house, a roofing project, painting and also renovating a clinic that provides treatment for people in the community who can’t afford health insurance or different things. We just wanted to use our time to bless people and spread the love of Jesus Christ and help this community.”

Open Arms Clinic is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, free medical clinic for any Toccoa-Stephens County resident that falls below 125 percent of the poverty line.

Again, the Open Arms Clinic is asking for the public’s continued support and generosity through donations. The estimated cost to complete the renovation is $80 thousand;

however, through fundraising, the organization has been able to raise $38 thousand to put towards the renovation cost.

For questions or to make a donation contact Beavers by calling 706-886-0940.